What should patients with rectal tumors avoid eating?
Generally, patients with rectal tumors should avoid eating fatty meats, spicy peppers, fried chicken, pickled vegetables, celery, and other similar foods, as well as medications such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, Danshen tablets, senna leaf granules, norfloxacin capsules, and Huoxiang Zhengqi water. Detailed explanations are as follows:
I. Foods
1. Fatty meats: Fatty meats are high in fat. Patients with rectal tumors often have weakened digestive function and may struggle to digest and absorb fats effectively. This can increase the digestive burden on the intestines, potentially irritating the intestinal mucosa, affecting normal intestinal peristalsis, and hindering recovery and treatment progress.
2. Spicy peppers: Spicy peppers contain large amounts of capsaicin, which strongly irritates the intestinal mucosa. This may cause mucosal congestion and edema, worsen symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea, and potentially stimulate the tumor, interfering with the treatment process.
3. Fried chicken: After high-temperature frying, food becomes hard and greasy. It is not only difficult to digest but may also produce harmful substances, increasing the metabolic burden on the intestines. Additionally, it might interfere with the patient's absorption of other nutrients, which is detrimental to maintaining bodily functions.
4. Pickled vegetables: Pickled vegetables contain high levels of nitrites, which are known carcinogens and may worsen the condition of rectal tumors. The high salt content in pickled vegetables can also irritate the intestinal mucosa and potentially cause water and sodium retention, affecting the patient's physical condition.
5. Celery: While dietary fiber is generally beneficial to health, patients with rectal tumors often have weakened intestinal function. The coarse fiber in celery is difficult to digest and may rub against the tumor or wound site in the intestine, causing bleeding, abdominal pain, and other discomforts, thereby increasing the burden on the intestines.
II. Medications
1. Ibuprofen sustained-release capsules: These belong to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which inhibit prostaglandin synthesis and can damage the gastrointestinal mucosa. Since the intestines of rectal tumor patients are already fragile, taking these drugs may worsen mucosal damage, increase the risk of intestinal bleeding and ulcers, and may also affect the efficacy of anti-tumor medications.
2. Danshen tablets: These tablets promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. For rectal tumor patients with a tendency to bleed or those undergoing treatment, using this medication may exacerbate bleeding symptoms, interfere with disease control, and potentially interact with treatment drugs, affecting treatment safety.
3. Senna leaf granules: These are stimulant laxatives that work by strongly stimulating intestinal peristalsis. They can worsen damage to the intestinal mucosa and potentially lead to intestinal dysfunction. For rectal tumor patients, they may also stimulate the tumor, causing adverse effects such as abdominal pain and bleeding.
4. Norfloxacin capsules: These belong to the quinolone class of antibiotics. Some rectal tumor patients may experience gastrointestinal side effects after taking them, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can worsen intestinal discomfort. They may also affect the balance of intestinal flora, disrupting the normal physiological environment of the intestines and hindering recovery.
5. Huoxiang Zhengqi water: This contains alcohol, which irritates the intestinal mucosa, worsening intestinal discomfort in rectal tumor patients. It may also interact with anti-cancer drugs such as chemotherapy or targeted therapy agents, affecting drug efficacy and increasing the risk of adverse drug reactions, which is detrimental to treatment.
Rectal tumor patients should maintain a bland, easily digestible diet, choosing nutritious and mild foods. They should also develop healthy lifestyle habits and avoid staying up late or overexerting themselves.